


Who Ran to Help Me When I Fell

by Mara



Category: Kamen Rider Ghost, Kamen Rider Kuuga
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6481549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akari finally admits she needs help and boy, does she find it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Ran to Help Me When I Fell

**Author's Note:**

  * For [phidari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phidari/gifts).



> I'm waaaaay behind in watching Ghost, so this won't include anything after about episode 10. Hopefully it won't be jossed too much.

It almost worked.

Akari knew she was close, but every time she turned the Ganma tracker on, it would tantalizingly begin to display results and then…nothing. It didn't fizzle or explode or declare that 2+2=5, it just _stopped_.

It was maddening. Almost as maddening as the way Onari's face went blank when she tried to explain the problem. Takeru tried to understand and that was worse, because he had none of the necessary background and got tangled up in the most basic concepts until she was ready to scream.

After two weeks of fruitless fixes, Akari banged her head on the table.

"Why don't you ask for help?" the old man asked from over her shoulder.

At least she'd gotten used to him and no longer screamed in fright. "Ask who for help? What can they do?"

"Not the others here. But there are others who have dealt in otherworldly creatures before you. They may have some insights."

"Other…other scientists?" Akari sat up and turned to look at his ghostly figure.

He smiled. "You're not the only scientist forced to confront the impossible."

Akari blinked, mind racing before she rushed to the computer.

* * *

It wasn't as easy as that. Of course, you couldn't just search for "scientists and supernatural." (Well, you _could_ , but you couldn't do that and expect to find the right person.)

But hours of scanning every news article and rumor site gave her some excellent leads and she decided to try the closest, a retired police scientist, who was rumored to have been the secret weapon against the monsters that had terrorized Tokyo and Nagano 15 years previously.

"Hello," a brisk voice said when the phone was answered.

"Dr. Enokida? My name is Tsukimura Akari. I was hoping to borrow a little of your time."

"In reference to what?"

"You've heard about the Gan—er, the latest batch of monsters? I need help."

"And what do monsters have to do with _me_?" Dr. Enokida sounded unperturbed but uncompromising. Her voice went muffled as she apparently put her hand over the receiver to speak to someone else.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I really didn't want to bother you, but the Ganma are so strong and I can't build things fast enough and my friend Takeru is already dead." She snapped her mouth shut, dismayed to feel tears dripping down onto her hands. "I'm sorry. I'll—"

"I'll meet you."

"What?"

"I'll meet with you. I don't know if I can help, but I'll try."

"Thank you." Akari took a breath. "I appreciate that."

"I haven't done anything yet."

"Just agreeing is more than I could have hoped."

Dr. Enokida sighed. "Let me give you my address."

* * *

A day later, Akari nervously allowed herself to be ushered into a small house by a tall foreigner, whose smile and polite greeting didn't disguise the fact he clearly didn't want her there.

"Jean-Michel!" Dr. Enokida's voice yelled from the other room. "Stop glaring at the child and bring her in. She's in need of help, would you turn her away?"

The man winced and bowed deeply, rising with a much more sincere smile. "My apologies. I was remembering different times. My name is Jean Michel Sorrel."

"Tsukimura Akari." 

Mr. Sorrel led her into the next room, and Akari bowed to the older woman, whose long hair was pulled back into a tight knot. "Dr. Enokida. Thank you."

Dr. Enokida waved a hand. "I…we remember what it's like. I would be remiss if I didn't offer my assistance. Now tell me about the monsters."

The next two hours—spent explaining the physics of the Ganma (at least as far as she'd been able to figure them out)—were more difficult and draining than any exam she'd ever taken in school. Surely defending her dissertation would be easier than justifying each of her conclusions to Dr. Enokida.

And that was just the start. Once she'd explained what she knew, they had to examine the technology.

Tea and cookies and later sandwiches appeared in front of them, thanks to a now amused-looking Sorrel who didn't even bother trying to follow the discussion as he wandered in and out of the room. Dr. Enokida thanked him absently and ordered him to retrieve various files and objects from their storeroom. Mr. Sorrel smiled and did as she asked.

By the time they were done, Akari's machine had been broken down and rebuilt three separate times. The sun was long set when Dr. Enokida flipped the switch and they both watched the readouts on a separate scanner.

Akari blinked. It was working. As far as she could tell, it was working. Of course, she'd have to take it back to the temple to be absolutely sure, but…

"It's okay," Dr. Enokida said quietly.

"What?" Akari tried to figure out why everything was slightly blurry.

"To cry."

Akari rubbed her eyes, wiping away the tears she hadn't even realized were there. "It's just…it's been so overwhelming."

"They just expect you to pull results out of thin air, right?"

Akari nodded. "I don't even know what I'm doing half the time. It's all so impossible. It took me weeks to even believe what I was seeing."

"And they figure you're a magician and you just wave your hand to solve the problem, then go home."

Managing a small laugh, Akari nodded again, wiping away a few more tears.

Sitting back on the couch, Dr. Enokida looked up at some photographs on a shelf. "My son was very little when we fought the Grongi. He didn't understand why I came home so late every day…if I came home at all."

Akari looked at the pictures, which showed a child growing up, going to university, and getting married. 

"It was difficult. Painful, even. There were times I was sure we were all going to die." She looked at Akari. "You're too young to remember the Grongi attacks."

"Yes."

"I was making most of the science up as I went along. It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do." She turned toward the doorway, where Mr. Sorrel leaned on the frame, his expression fond. "Except maybe asking you to go to Disney with us that first time."

He chuckled, coming to sit beside her. "You…all of you, worked so hard. I wish I could have done more to help."

"Your translations also helped save us." Dr. Enokida turned back to Akari. "We'll provide what advice we can, but I suspect you won't need much more from us."

"Hmm?"

"You're extremely bright and capable. You can do this."

Akari gaped. "I…uh, thank you."

Dr. Enokida leaned forward, patting her hand. "Take this machine back to your friends and keep up the good work. And when it seems hopeless, remember that you're not the first or only person to feel that way." 

For the first time since Takeru died, Akari started to think they might just possibly win. "Thank you," she said through renewed tears. "Thank you."

\--end--


End file.
